Water heaters ....what have you fitted

[Northernraider]

Ok so ive pretty much decided my next van is going to be a self build ....so at the minute ive been spending time planning a layout and equipment etc.
I want to use a diesel heater and a woodburner for heating but im unsure of what to do for water heating.
As i plan to build it as stealth as possible im looking to avoid lots of vents etc on the outside ...

So what methods of water heating have those with self builds gone for ?

I dont plan to have 240v equipment in the van at all as off grid is the goal ....so lpg, diesel, solar etc

Photos , links , details appreciated.

 

[MisterB]

Take a look at the Bobil heater. Attaches to your diesel heater. Good videos on YouTube by the Bobil company (and others) showing some test methods. With a diesel heater, you might not need a wood burner, so save space, extra cost and cleaning the bloody soot and ashes out !!

 

[Northernraider]

Take a look at the Bobil heater. Attaches to your diesel heater. Good videos on YouTube by the Bobil company (and others) showing some test methods. With a diesel heater, you might not need a wood burner, so save space, extra cost and cleaning the bloody soot and ashes out !!

Yes ive looked at the bobil heater but not keen on the having to have a heater on to get hot water .

No one needs a wood burner ....but i want one lol so ill be having one of those.

 

[MisterB]

Yes ive looked at the bobil heater but not keen on the having to have a heater on to get hot water .

No one needs a wood burner ....but i want one lol so ill be having one of those.

theres a scottish guy on you tube who does a workbench test on a Bobil heater and he shows the actual temp coming out of the heater when the Bobil is on, might be worth viewing it ?? i was wondering if it could be fitted to a vehicle exhaust to heat on board water, so you have hot water when you arrive on site if you have travelled to get there?

we have lpg 'woodburners' at home, same effect less hassle. you could prob run it just on pilot light and it would soon add heat into the van

 

[Zoobec]

Not connected up yet as we are still building our van But we’ve gone for an IMASS IWH-1.5, and an underslung gas tank.

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[Northernraider]

theres a scottish guy on you tube who does a workbench test on a Bobil heater and he shows the actual temp coming out of the heater when the Bobil is on, might be worth viewing it ?? i was wondering if it could be fitted to a vehicle exhaust to heat on board water, so you have hot water when you arrive on site if you have travelled to get there?

we have lpg 'woodburners' at home, same effect less hassle. you could prob run it just on pilot light and it would soon add heat into the van

Yes ive just watched that and its interesting stuff.. a few things im not sure of though as i plan to install the diesel heater in a box under the van and im wondering about freezing issues in colder weather....and how to get the water from the tank to the shower

But the video was interesting

 

[MisterB]

Max and Sophie on youtube have just done the exact same thing, under van install in a box with the Bobil heater and they plan to use the vehicle heater itself to add additional heat when driving to boost the hab area - not sure how successful that will be, but its interesting to watch them build a van, with very little experience, but lots of enthusiasm, willingness to learn and trying to get things right, not just looking right !

 

[Northernraider]

Max and Sophie on youtube have just done the exact same thing, under van install in a box with the Bobil heater and they plan to use the vehicle heater itself to add additional heat when driving to boost the hab area - not sure how successful that will be, but its interesting to watch them build a van, with very little experience, but lots of enthusiasm, willingness to learn and trying to get things right, not just looking right !

Yep ive been watching their build for a few months now ....they haven't got it up and running yet though lol.
And like i say its when its very cold that there could be issues with it freezing.
Be interesting to see how it works

At the minute i leave my truma hot water on 24/7 when its below 5° to avoid frost damage etc .... which you cant do with the bobil

 

[Shrimp]

Wouldn’t have a wood burner.
Constant cleaning of van, fire, coping with hot/cold ash, carrying fuel for burner.
Diesel heater much cleaner, quicker & easier and much lighter as sooner or later you’re going to run out of carrying capacity-cast iron wood burner, wood/coal, a plinth for burner to stand on, shielding the heat/fire from the van walls etc. Plus all that real wood you are going to use, mind you I suppose if you run out of fire wood you can always burn your cupboards!

 

[Northernraider]

Wouldn’t have a wood burner.
Constant cleaning of van, fire, coping with hot/cold ash, carrying fuel for burner.
Diesel heater much cleaner, quicker & easier and much lighter as sooner or later you’re going to run out of carrying capacity-cast iron wood burner, wood/coal, a plinth for burner to stand on, shielding the heat/fire from the van walls etc. Plus all that real wood you are going to use, mind you I suppose if you run out of fire wood you can always burn your cupboards!

On a 6 - 7.5 tonne van weight and carrying capacity isn't an issue ...one of my many main reasons for a self build is the ability to fit a woodburner. Theres an endless supply of free firewood everywhere i camp ...the size im looking to fit and the size of van means instant free heat and very little cleaning out to be honest.

One of the reasons for self building is the ability to put what i want in a van and not the cheaper made more expensive to buy van bits to be honest

All the best self builds ive seen have woodburners fitted and are much more homely and comfortable than the off the shelf factory vans

Will be built with real wood too

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[Jamesh]

I'm think where I can fit a gas bottle stove.

Need to ask a mate who can weld me one up from a bottle. Going to make it removeable so I can put it in my workshop too.

Cheers James

 

[Minxy]

Northernraider How are you going to 'disguise' the flue?

 

[Northernraider]

Northernraider How are you going to 'disguise' the flue?

There will be a full length roofrack on the van which will have around a 100 -150 mm side on it ...so the cowl will be hidden by that as will the roof vents and the solar panels etc .

 

[Northernraider]

I'm think where I can fit a gas bottle stove.

Need to ask a mate who can weld me one up from a bottle. Going to make it removeable so I can put it in my workshop too.

Cheers James

I've a mate back in scotland that has a removeable wood burner in his van that can be used inside and out ...but not sure how he did it .

The one im looking to fit is very small to be honest ....the mini Cyclops from Glastonbury burners

 

[Otter Spotter]

Yes ive just watched that and its interesting stuff.. a few things im not sure of though as i plan to install the diesel heater in a box under the van and im wondering about freezing issues in colder weather....and how to get the water from the tank to the shower

But the video was interesting

Will you need a heater to keep your diesel heater from freezing ?

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[Northernraider]

Will you need a heater to keep your diesel heater from freezing ?

I plan to build a box that will be insulated inside so im hoping that should be enough to stop it freezing...the other option is under the front passenger seat and ducted in to the back . I plan to have the front completely seperate from the rear living area

 

[Otter Spotter]

I plan to build a box that will be insulated inside so im hoping that should be enough to stop it freezing...the other option is under the front passenger seat and ducted in to the back . I plan to have the front completely seperate from the rear living area

If under the front seat would there be a noise issue ? have you thought about a wood burner with back boiler and have it feed hot water through under floor piping ?
I also recall an American convertor ( Humble Road ) fitting a heat exchanger to his engine to warm water. He has an extensive range of vids on utube.

 

[Northernraider]

If under the front seat would there be a noise issue ? have you thought about a wood burner with back boiler and have it feed hot water through under floor piping ?
I also recall an American convertor ( Humble Road ) fitting a heat exchanger to his engine to warm water. He has an extensive range of vids on utube.

Yes the noise could be an issue which is why underslung would be my first option

Although a few of the varios ive seen for sale in germany have auxiliary rear deisel heaters fitted under the passenger seat at the minute so cant be that noisy

Ive seen a few things about warming water from engine etc but not too bothered about that as i only use it for shower ....anything else like dishes etc i find it quicker to fill a kettle.

 

[two]

Somehow, "stealth" and "woodburner" don't seem to go together.
And, in my mind, woodturner is not so ideal. But try it for yourself.
Webasto & Eberspächer make combined water and heating systems.

 

[acropolis22]

There will be a full length roofrack on the van which will have around a 100 -150 mm side on it ...so the cowl will be hidden by that as will the roof vents and the solar panels etc .

Won't the smoke be a bit of a giveaway?

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[Northernraider]

Somehow, "stealth" and "woodburner" don't seem to go together.
And, in my mind, woodturner is not so ideal. But try it for yourself.
Webasto & Eberspächer make combined water and heating systems.

You've just not seen the right stealth build then I've been looking in to this for years.

The van will have dual fuel heating ....diesel and woodburner.

The only help i need is with a water heater plan ....ideally one where I don't have to have the heating on to heat the water.

I don't want a combined one as those usually require heating on at same time.

Trying to avoid a gas fired combi like the truma etc as they are expensive and power hungry

But im starting to think that perhaps a gas water heater is going to be the best solution ....just don't really want the vent through the van


Anything on the roof will be hidden from view by the roofrack and at present the only thing on the side other than the 2 factory crewcab windows will be an lpg filler and a water tank filler. No other vents, hatches, lockers, windows etc

Roofrack similar to this idea where the roof hatches , stove cowl etc will all be hidden or disguised.

If the rack has sides like this but are covered it can hide anything

And provides multiple uses

 

[Northernraider]

Won't the smoke be a bit of a giveaway?

Not so much worried about that in the dark lol.

I want the van to be stealth when required and in those instances i wouldn't have a fire lit.

Hence dual fuel

 

[Manic]

If you have a nice hot fire going, what happens if you get moved on from where your parked.

 

[Northernraider]

If you have a nice hot fire going, what happens if you get moved on from where your parked.

You can drive with it lit .

But i have to say in 3.5 years ive been moved just 3 times in total so not something im overly concerned about.

But

One of the reasons im building a stealth look van is so i dont get moved

 

[MisterB]

i think you might be viewing some of the comments as negative and some may in fact be so, however, treat each comment as something to consider and if you feel necessary, act on it - it can only make your project better and well thought out.

good luck with the project !!

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[Northernraider]

Man i know that some folk try to be helpful others just enjoying peeing on a parade but cmon guys

This thread was for help with water heaters NOT to discuss the pros and cons of woodburners

We are all different in our tastes and what is important thats why theres a hundred different layouts and anything from bongo's to 30 foot RV

Whether a woodburner is your thing or not it very much is mine and ill be fitting one in my van ....if i dont like it later ill remove it but that is my choice.


So please and respectfully can folk just stick to the topic in hand and share ideas for water heaters etc

The actual heating i already have planned.....

TIA

 

[Northernraider]

i think you might be viewing some of the comments as negative and some may in fact be so, however, treat each comment as something to consider and if you feel necessary, act on it - it can only make your project better and well thought out.

good luck with the project !!

Its just a little frustrating im not new to vans ....ive had one in my life since i learned to drive 30 years ago ....built dozens of vw sized vans from the ground up .....so whilst this will be a first on a van this size i DO have an idea what i want and on the things im set on including.

I've wanted a woodburner in a van for over a decade lol .....it shall be so

 

[gus-lopez]

Trying to avoid a gas fired combi like the truma etc as they are expensive and power hungry

Mine is just 10L on gas only . If you could hide the in/outlet somehow?

 

[Northernraider]

Mine is just 10L on gas only . If you could hide the in/outlet somehow?

What one do you have?

 

[Minxy]

Trying to avoid a gas fired combi like the truma etc as they are expensive and power hungry

But im starting to think that perhaps a gas water heater is going to be the best solution ....just don't really want the vent through the van

I'm not sure if some of the gas boilers can be mounted on their sides rather than upright so this may help routing pipes etc, alternatively just ensure you position it so you can put a 'chimney' on to take it up to the roof within the PVC, it will obviously take up a little bit of space interally but would still allow you to be a stealth camper.

Edit - just found this as an example of what I mean:

Storage and boiler flue - Vandog Traveller

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